SCHWAB FILES FOR RE-ELECTION IN 157TH DISTRICT

State Rep. David Schwab filed Wednesday in Jefferson City for re-election to a sixth term.

The Jackson Republican has represented the 157th District since being elected to the House in 1988.

Schwab, 55, said he will campaign on the theme "We can do better."

He said: "This election is about doing better for the people of Missouri. We have watched billions of dollars wasted for desegregation in St. Louis and Kansas at the expense of our schools."

It has been estimated that the Missouri Transportation Department has a $14 billion shortfall despite a 6-cent tax increase that was passed less than five years ago, Schwab said.

"The state budget has grown over $1 billion a year. It took a lawsuit to force the governor to give back refunds due to Missouri's families," he said. "We can do better."

Schwab said he will fight the governor's plan to pass new taxes for transportation. He said Gov. Mel Carnahan favors a transportation plan that would fund mass transit projects at the expense of rural Missouri.

Schwab opposes continued state funding for desegregation programs in the St. Louis and Kansas City schools after court-ordered desegregation funding ends.

He said test scores of students have fallen in the Kansas City School District even though $1.8 billion in state money was given to the district.

"We must take this money and distribute it fairly to all of the schools in the state. We need to put more money in the classroom, hire more teachers and cut administrative costs," he said.

Schwab said he favors tougher laws and a cash bounty to combat the methamphetamine problem in the state.

Schwab said the state doesn't need to spend more. Instead, state government needs to be better managed, he said. There also should be larger tax cuts to help people save for retirement and provide for their families and their children's college education, he said.

Schwab opposes efforts to enact statewide building codes and state-controlled health care and child care.

He said medical and child-care issues should be addressed through private insurance and private-sector participation.

Schwab said he supports tax breaks for in-home child care, children's medical insurance and medical savings accounts.

Schwab said he would hold a series of voter picnics throughout the district this summer and fall to give voters an opportunity to be briefed on the legislative session and ask questions about legislation.

The picnics will be financed with campaign funds, he said.

"The picnics allow me to have a lot of time one-on-one with people, where town-hall meetings are more structured," he said. "These picnics give people the access they need to discuss their options and help me be a better representative."

Schwab said he hopes Republicans will gain control of the Missouri House this fall. "I am running for re-election so that we may gain a majority for the first time in 44 years and root out corruption and bring fundamental change to our state government, he said.

Schwab is a farmer and businessman. He and his wife, Phyllis, have three children.